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Green Days AheadWorried about the environment? There are a growing number of career opportunities which focus on turning the tide...
Holes in the ozone layer, melting ice caps, increasing greenhouse gases... As green issues have shot up almost everybody’s agenda, is it any surprise that more young Scots want to make their career goal helping planet Earth? The great thing is – you can! Scotland’s well placed when it comes to green issues. We’ve plenty of renewable energy resources to exploit – wind, tide, hydro... you name it, Scotland’s awash with it. Renewable energy capacity has grown by a fifth in the last year alone, and passed a landmark three Gigawatts in October – that’s enough to power 1.5 million Scottish homes – or almost 3 De Lorean Time Machines! But how can you find out more about having a green career? Earlier this year, Careers Scotland launched a new campaign to get school leavers thinking about careers in recycling, conservation and renewable energy. The Path Is Green (tp:g) shows how the rise of green issues is inspiring a wealth of job opportunities – as you can see from the case studies on the following pages! Careers Scotland estimates that currently there are about 80,000 green jobs in Scotland, a figure they expect to rise by 50,000 during the next 10 to 15 years as recycling, conservation and renewable energy schemes grow in scale – and the Scottish Government’s doing its bit by setting national targets – all new houses to be carbon neutral by 2016, a fifth of all power from renewable sources by 2020. As Danny Logue, Director of Careers Scotland, told us: “Young people entering the renewables sector can expect a long-term career and will be playing a part in making a difference to the future of Scotland.” GETTING EXPERIENCE Of course, it helps if you can get some useful experience. BTCV is one of the UK’s most established charities specialising in environmental conservation volunteering. Through BTCV you can take on a ProjectScotland placement, getting hands-on experience through on the ground environmental projects – such as path clearing, tree planting, etc – or you can join the charity’s own volunteer officer programme and help develop and run those BTCV projects. ProjectScotland is a national charity providing opportunities which help young people realise their potential through full time volunteering. Alternatively, through BTCV, you can apply for one of six annual Natural Talent Apprenticeships; supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund, these give you the opportunity to increase your specialist ecological and conservation skills. And BTCV also offers a comprehensive Environmental Training Programme, including courses in environmental skills such as hedge cutting (certificated by Lantra, the Sector Skills Council for environmental and land-based careers) and first aid. The sort of thing that’s almost as good for your CV as it is for the local environment! GO GREEN All in all, doing something for the planet isn’t incompatible with having a worthwhile career – in fact, quite the opposite. “Scotland’s competitive advantage in developing clean, green energy from wind, wave and tidal power is unrivalled,” according to Scottish Energy Minister Jim Mather. “We have witnessed an unprecedented level of activity in our green energy sector. It’s clear that renewable energy is one of Scotland’s most vibrant economic sectors.” SO WHERE CAN THIS CAREER LEAD YOU.... ENGINEER Think engineering’s just for boys? 25 year old Ros Hart would beg to differ, being a successful engineer working for Pelamis Wave Power Ltd, a company which produces renewable electricity from the sea. “Before we set up in a new area, we test a model of the Pelamis system in a wave tank,” she explained. “We create the conditions as they are in the new area to see how it copes. I then use a computer to design the equipment we will need. Once everything is ready, I also get to go out on the water and be involved with installing the system. It’s great being involved in something right from the start then seeing it all come together at the end.” It’s the challenge she appreciates most, though. “Wave power is a brand new area of engineering and every day there are new problems to solve,” she told us. “We’re working on things that have never been done before so it’s a really interesting and exciting job. Global warming is a big issue that only engineers can solve. It’s good to be involved in something that is making a difference and changing the world for the better.” WIND ANALYST If there’s one thing Scotland’s not short of, it’s wind, but exploiting it isn’t just a case of sticking some wind turbines in an empty field and hoping for the best. Alison Jenkins is a wind analyst with specialist company Renewable Energy Systems and plays an important role in deciding where wind farms should be set up. “Basically, when we find an area which we think might be suitable for a wind farm, we set up masts to record information about the wind – how strong it is and the direction it blows in,” she explained. “My job involves analysing information from the masts and using this to decide how well a wind farm would work in that area.” It’s hard work, but Alison says there are plenty of advantages. “I get to work in different technical teams and do research into different areas and that keeps my job interesting,” she explained. “It also gives me a range of experience and that’s good for my career. But the best thing is the chance to do something I believe in. I feel quite strongly about renewable energy so this job is perfect for me. I like the fact that I’m working towards something which is important to me.” WASTE MINIMISATION OFFICER Terry Young may have a degree in Quantity Surveying, but it was several summers spent working as a bin man that focused his career on recycling. On graduating, Terry found a job with Perth & Kinross Council as a Waste Minimisation Officer. “Basically my job involves working with the 1,500 businesses in Perth and Kinross and making it easy for them to recycle,” he told us. “I visit businesses in the area and speak to them about the items they are recycling and the things which they aren’t recycling yet, but could be. Recycling is becoming the norm now and I’ve definitely noticed a big difference compared to when I started working with the council a few years ago.” “One of the best things about this job is being out and about meeting new people all the time, every day is different,” he explained. “It’s also great to know we’re helping make a difference to the environment.” APPRENTICE PLUMBER Teenager Liam Sherif is currently on his second year of training as an apprentice plumber with Inverness-based Corrie Plumbing and Heating. He’s part of a team installing solar panels and ground source heat pumps in new homes, with plenty of work in sight thanks to the Scottish Government’s determination to ensure that all new houses are carbon neutral by 2016. Liam’s days are spent closely following plumbers and heating engineers and learning from their years of experience. He also attends a local college as part of his apprenticeship, where he studies for a plumbing qualification. “I’ve developed a good understanding of the basics, and it’s exciting to be working in an expanding field like renewables,” Liam told us. “There aren’t a lot of plumbers who are fully trained to install the specialist equipment houses will need to be more eco-friendly in the future. This means we get to travel about Scotland to anywhere we’re needed.” He added: “It feels good to be working on something which has real benefit to people. It’s also great to know that the skills I’m learning are guaranteed to be in demand for years to come.” CIVIL ENGINEERING TECHNICIAN Ryan Heaney is a trainee technician with Faber Maunsell, an award-winning engineering consultancy that specialises in the planning, design and engineering of buildings, transport systems and environmental services. “I have a wide range of work which consists of producing draft design drawings for projects, site visits and general office duties,” Ryan told us. “I also attend Stow College in Glasgow one day a week where I am working towards a HNC in Civil Engineering.” Ryan first heard of Faber Maunsell when company representatives gave a presentation at his school on career opportunities within the company for school leavers. Luckily, he was able to choose the right subjects to study. “The four that benefited me the most were English, Maths, Physics and Graphics, which relate a lot to my job and college work.” Ryan plans to go on to university to gain a degree in Civil Engineering, which will further his career and help him fulfil his ambitions in life. “My advice to anyone thinking of going into this line of work would be to go for it!” he added. “There are plenty of opportunities to travel the world, have a successful career and – most importantly – have a happy and successful lifestyle.” |
| Last Updated on Wednesday, 16 December 2009 16:18 |